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. '4 1 ashets-sheet 1. GL W. SOL.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(No Model.)

- Patented May 26, 189@Y .(NO Model.) i 3 SheetSY-Slheet' l rG. W ASO-UL.

v ROTARY ENGINE. N

` I Patented May 26,1896- l i i* immun G@ W. soULB.

` 3 Sheets-@Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

ROTARY ENGINE.

No. 560,760. patenfea May 26, 1896.

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- To LZZ whom` it `may concern/r` Umrnn STAT-as GEORGE w. SoUL', or MER-IDIAN, MISSISSIPPI.

"Ro-raar ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION l forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,760, dated May 28, 189B. Application filed November 8,1892.' lRenewed Novemher 7, 1895. Serial No. 568,233. (No model.)

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. SOUL, of Meridian, in the county of Lauderdale and :State'of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines; .and I do hereby declare the following 4 to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which'it appertains-tom'ake and use the same.

' My invention relates to an improvement in rotary engines, its object beingto produce a rotary engine soconstructed and arranged that it can be easily, quickly, and eifectually reversed.

A further object is to provide a rotary engine having sliding wings or pistons, with `means whereby said wings or pistons will be` f forced outwardlyby the action of steam at a l A furtherobject is to construct "engine in such manner that steam higher pressure and independent of the steam.V

which drives the engine. ,i

a rotary will be made to'force the pistons or wings outwardly and so that the pipes which convey the steam to the center of the disk or' head for this purposel will also serve to conduct, lubricating 4-Inaterial to the engine,

" thereof will be thoroughly lubricated.

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whereby 'all parts A further object Ais to construct thel engine in' such manner that no frictional or steam load will be imposed upon the revolving disk` A further 'Objectis to 'so construct theongine that the steam will be admitted" at diametrically opposite points 'of the revolving disk or head, the devices forconducting the A steam being so arranged 'that when the engine is -runnilng in one direction 'onefdevice or` pipe will cond-uct the steam to the revolving head or ,disk to drive it, and when run- .sol

ning in the V'reverse 'direction said pipe will act as theexhaust; and vice versa.

. A further object is to construct the engine` casing in such manner that the wings or pis- V tous will have no movement in their slots in the revolutionof .the disk or head at the time there is steam-pressure against them.

A further object is to provide simple and.

efficient packing devices whereby to linsure the proper operation of the revolving disk or head and thewingsorpistonscarriedthereby.

l of the lining. Y

B within the casing and throughconical bushings nal-bearings, Abracketd projects outwardly 4perforations in the A further object is to produce a rotary engine-which\shall be simple in construction, easy to manipulate, and eiectualin the performance 4of its functions. p

With these objects in view the invention. consists "in certain novel features of construe tion and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter set forth, out in the claims. g l

'I In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved rotary engine. Fig. 2 is an end view.' Fig. 3 is-an end'view with the head removed, some of theparts being shown in'section. `Figs. 4, 5, 6," 7, 8, and 9 lare detail views. Fig, 10 is aseparate view A represents the engine-casing', which is elliptical in form, the with a shaftr B, `which passes through the center of said' casing, said shaft being supported in journal-bearings B', carried by the heads C of the casing, said heads and the casing being secured together by means ot suitable bolts a.

Secured to'porV made integral with the shaft A is arevoluble head D, in each face of which, in .the shaftB, a recess b is made and to communicate with slots c, through the journal-bearings adapted which` extend o" in said jourfrom each head C and is provided with screwthreaded perforations for the accom modation of threaded bolts d', which la tter pass through and pointed ends being concentric close proximity to journal-bearings' B and of the shaft B are adapted at their pointed or wedge-'shaped lower ends `e2 to enter the slots c in the bush'- ings c', thus retaining said bushing in suchposition that mesita therein win be at ,the4

will appear farther on." The bushings may be securedto the journal-bearingsby :means of nuts es. y.

The revoluble disk or head D is provided with a series of, preferablysix or more, slots' e, each .of suiicient width and depth to receive a sliding wing" r piston f. The walls `of each slot are provided with V-sh'aped or other shaped `grooves e', iir whichisimilarlyshaped packing-"strips e4 are inserted. Both top of the journal-beating fora purpose which 'loc heads C of the casing are also made with V- Fshaped or other shaped grooves for the reception of similarly-shaped packing strips or rings f. Passing through the brackets d and journal-bearings B and communicating with slots c are .two pipes g g, which at their upper ends are connected together by means of a suitable coupling,said pipes g gbein g adapted to receive (in amanner hereinafter explained) steam independent of t-he steam whichdrives the engine; From this construction and arrangement of parts it will be seen that the steam which passes through the pipes g g will enter the grooves or slots c in the bushings c and journal-bearings B', from which it will pass to the recesses b and finally against the inner ends of the pistons f, thus forcing said Wings or pistons against the inner Wall of the casing A. The escape of steam from the recesses or slots e behind the Wings or pistons f will beprevented by the packing-strips e4,which,by the pressure of the steam and centrifugal action, Will be made to bear against the faces of the Wings or pistons and one side of the grooves and prevent the escape of steam past them. The packing-rings f are in a similar manner made to bear against the head y D and one side of their grooves.

.Made in the heads C of the engine are ports i z', arranged in proximity to .the edge or periphery of said heads at 4diametrically opposite points, the 'ports in each head being adaptedtocommnnicate by means ofduets fi'. With one of the ducts 'i' of each head C (preferably the upper one) apipe lE communicates, vwhereby to conduct steam through both ports in each head, the ports t' in one head being arrangedI or located near one side of the engine in an oblique line with each other, While the ports c' in the other head are arranged in the reverse position, so that steam passing .through the upper-port of one head Gwill drive the revoluble head D in one direction, and the steam passing through the diagonally opposite port of the same lead C will drive said head D in the same direction at the same time.

When the engine is to be used as a reversible motor, the upper ends of the large steampipesE are each connected with a four-way valve F, said valve being provided with an exhaust F and a steam-inlet pipe F2. The duct 7' of the valve F, through which live steam is to pass, is made of a size preferably about the size of t-he bore of the pipe E, while the exhaust ductj of said valve is made somewhat larger. made considerably larger than the live-steaml port j, so that the exhaust may be open sooner and later than the live-steam port, whereby when it is desirable that the steam be partly shut o in either direction the exhaust will not be cramped. v

From the construction and arrangement of the pipes E, ports z', ducts 1J', and valve F it will be readily seen that when steam is made to enter the engine through one of the pipes In fact this exhaust-ductjl is E it will exhaust through the other, and vice A versa.

By means of -the four-Way valve F thesteam may be made to 'enter either pipe E and exhaust through the other, according to the direction in which itis desired that the engine shall run. In like manner the engine may be easily and eectually reversed, either gradually or quickly, as desired, by simply manipulating the valve F,'which may be done by means of an arm k, lattached to-the squared stem k of the valve.l The steam-inlet pipe F2 is connected with the small steam-pipes g g by means of couplings l Z Z2, whereby steam will be permitted to pass'through said small steam-pipes g g before it passes through the valve F, and thus the ste m passing through.

said pipes g g and actin,a on the Wings or pistons f, as above explained, will not be controlled by the valve F, but, onV the contrary, will be entirely independent thereof. A lubricator G is connected with the coupling Z and is also connected with the 'steam-inlet pipe F2 by means of a pipe n. .From this construction it willbe seen that not .only the live steam, which maintains the pistons in proper position relatively to the-inner walls of the casing, will pass through the pipes, but lubricating oil will be made to How from the lubricator G through 'said pipes g g and thus supply'oil to the interior of the engine and thoroughly lubricate' all the working parts therein in a thorough and effectual By making the opposite ends of the casing A concentric with the revolving head-D the pistons f will have no movement in their slots in the revoluble head While they are subjected to the pressure of the steam.

In order to secure a smooth and durable wearing-surface within the casing A and to permit the removal of that surface should it wear, l provide a` Wearing-strip X of platesteel Within said easin g. This Wearing-strip consists of a straight strip of plate-steel of the same Width as the case (the steel being first tempered and ground) and of the proper length t0 t the inside circumference of the case.4 The ends of the strip are cut at an angle of about six degrees, and the strip being sprung into -the caseI the ends are abutted for, say, half their width and then are forced in, the angle compelling the Wearing strip or lining to spring out tightly against all parts of the case. Of course the heads when bolted to place will hold the lining firmly.

lIn rotary engines as they are commonly constructed the revoluble head is supposed to make a steam-tight connection with the casing at the-nearest point to prevent the steam from passing back.V I do away with this by using six or more pistons, the space between Ithem being, of course, one-sixth of the circumference of the head, and I make the-ports equal in length to one-twelfth of the circum- IOC iro.

l without carryinga'piston with it. -There be-,f f ing '.no' necessity for the revoluble head to.

ing, the shortest 1o` ,I revolution when six j the casing A. .55

y the metalV conical 'd5' packing is preferably. employed.

550,760 1 Y i e ference of the head, thus bringing their ends :l

in planes onesixth of the circu mferenceof the head apart. Thus there is always one piston between two passage of steam from one port to the other have a steam-tight connection with the cas: diameter of the casing is j ust-sufficient to permit the head D to revolve freely, (not steam-tight,) 'and the two ends of the casing (which .are modified ellipses) are segments of a circle concentric with the shaft ofthe engine, each being-one4sixth of a cpmplete circle or a part of a full circle divided by the number of pistons in the revoluble The importance of my departurefrom preform of -a casing `for a rotaryengine and substituting therefor the ellipse is that'the using the steam equally and simultaneouslyabove :and below the'revoluble head or runner arises from 'the fact that this gives a balanced steampressure on the revoluble head or runner and eliminates journal load and consequent fricn tion. Supposing that the steam was used on one side only, there would be a steamsprcssureQ-due to the eross-sectional area' of the revoluble head multiplied by the steam-pressure to be resisted by the journalse-#a pressure greater by many times thant'hatwhich was available for work.

The ports z' in the heads C of the engine are duplicates; but it is manifest-that in reversn ingthe'ports will occupy dilerent positionsthat is to say, at one time or when the engine is running in one direction the o'r-ts i of one head C will be inlet-ports and w en running in the reverse direction said ports (which 'were formerly inlet-ports) will be Aexhaustports, as above alluded. to.- This difference of position amounts to exactly onesixth of a v pistons are used, and as the ports are one-twelfth of a revolutionlong it is manifest that in the'close-par'tof the casing Ait will always be one-sixth-oafrevolul tion alsobetween the smaller endof the ports'` in one head to the smaller end-vof the com tig'uous port in the\other, Thus there iS` always one pistonbe tween ,f,two of the ports,

' which does away witljigthe. need `of the revov lublehead makingafsteam-tight jint with the steam will enter the casing above and below the revoluble 'head son. `The ports-ima", iii-desired, be located inthe casingA instead of the heads C.

VThe j ou'rnal-bealjn gs B' are provided externally with screw-threads ,for the reception ofg-stuing-boxes, which 'comprise collars 0 and-follower o', and between the former and bushing c flexibleor other My improved engine is a very simple sub-` stantial rotary motor. Itfpossesses no comof the porta-which prevents the Vions common practice of using the eccentric `2O fings for said shaft,

As the ports ofl eaclci` vhead C are connected together by a Vduct .or passage, L

D equally and inuni` subject to destruction by dust and grit. When used as a reversible motor, it runs eX- actly the same one way as the other and is controlled by one handle attached to a simple our-way valve. n j Having fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv l 1. In arotary engine, the combination with a shafta casing two heads and journal-bear L ings carried by said heads,

ings having grooves therein, of a .bushing in eachjournal-bearing, having a slot therein, a revoluble head having slots, carried by the'- shaft, said revoluble head jacent to the shaft adapted to 'communicate with the groovesn in the journal-bearings,

head, pipes communicating with the slots in the bushings, through said pipes to the center of the revolublehead and against the inner ends of the wings or pistons, substantially as set forth;

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing, its ends, a shaft and journal-bearof a slotted bushing in each journal-bearin' a bracket prjecting from each head, a screw passing through each bracket and a perforation in the j ournal-bear ings and entering theslots in the bushingsto retain'said slot at the top of the bearing, a' revoluble head carried by said shaft and havbushings, Wings or revoluble with said slotted bushings, w ereby steam will be transmitted to thecent r of the revoluble head to force'the wings or wardly, substantially as ,set forth. V

3. `In a rotary en'gine,'-the combination with a casing-its ends, -a shaftand journal-bear-- ings for said shaft; of a slotted bushing in pistons` carried by said withgrooves in saidl journal bearings, a bracket projecting from each head, a' screw passingV through each bracket andA perforations in the journabbearings, and adapted to enter the slotted bushings, a revoluble head communicate `with thegrooves in the jinirna'l` -tion'sinjthe journal-bearings, nuts on said screws adapted to bear against the journalbearings and brackets,

end of each screw and adapted to enter the..

plicatedvalve-gearing and no exposed parts said journal-bean' having recesses adand means for injecting steam i Ico4 ing recesses to communicate with the slottedj ead, and pipes communicating ros,

I I 0 saidjournal-bearing adapted to communicate 48s` wings or pistons in the slots in the revoluble carried Lby said shaft and having recesses to bearings, wings or pistons. carried by said j `I\2O bracket and perforaa wedge at the-lower slotted bushings, a revoluble head carried by said shaft and having a recess to communicate .with the recesses in. the j ournal-bearngs, Wings or pistons carried by said revoluble head, and steam-pipes communicating with' said slotted bushings, substantially as set forth;

5. In a rotary engine, the combination with a casing and its heads, of 4a shaft, a revoluble head carried by said shaft, said revoluble shaft having six slots, a wing or piston in each slot, the space between said Wings or pistons being equal to one-sixth of arevolution of the revoluble headT steam-ports in the heads of Athe casing arranged apart a distance equal to one-sixth of the circumference of the revolu' will be prevented, substantiallyas set forth 6. In a rotary engine, the combination with ing in saidjournal-bearings, the latter having a perforation, a device passing through 'the perforation in each journal-bearing and entering a slot in the bushing to retain said slot at th e top of the bearin g, a revoluble head or runner carried by said shaft and having' recesses to communicate With the slotted bushings, Wings or 'pistons carried by said revoluble head or runner, and pipes communicating with said slotted bushings whereby steam will `be transmitted to the center of the revoluble head or runner to force the wings or pistons outwardly, substantially as set4 forth.

' In testimony whereof l have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE W. soUL. 

